


How could you not like Mike Wheeler?

by What_A_Massive_Heck_Storm



Category: Stranger Things - Fandom
Genre: Coming Out, Gay Will Byers, Gen, One-Sided Will Byers/Mike Wheeler, Unrequited Crush, Will Byers Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-07
Updated: 2020-04-07
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:33:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23533120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/What_A_Massive_Heck_Storm/pseuds/What_A_Massive_Heck_Storm
Summary: The Party has a sleepover, and after a conversation about Mike's love life, Will needs to confront his feelings for Mike.
Kudos: 23





	How could you not like Mike Wheeler?

Will smiled as he lay his sleeping bag on Mike’s basement floor. It was the first sleepover Dustin, Lucas, Mike and Will have had in months. Just the original party, no girlfriends or otherwise. Just his three oldest friends. However, as he looked over at Mike, he was reminded of the current circumstances. Mike’s eyes were red and puffy, and his posture was limp and sullen. Last night he had called Will in tears, telling him what had happened earlier that day. Eleven had come over, he said, and told him that she just wanted to be friends with him. As he put it, he had been dumped. Dustin looked over at Mike, noticing his sorrowful expression. “You okay buddy?” he asked. “Wanna talk about it?” Mike let out a heart wrenching sob, and curled his arms around his knees. Will put his arm around Mike’s shoulders, and Lucas tried to console him. 

“It’s not the end of the world,” Lucas said. “You’ll have other girlfriends.” Mike sighed. 

“No, I won’t. Most girls find me repulsive. The only reason El liked me was because I protected her from the bad men.” He looked down at his feet. “How could anyone else ever like me?” Will flinched, causing his arm to disentangle from Mike’s shoulders. Mike and Lucas gave him a questioning look. Dustin spoke, not noticing Will’s strange reaction. 

“Mike,” he said calmly. “We all tried to protect El, but she liked you. Do you know why?” 

“Why?” Mike said apathetically, still staring at Will in confusion. Will looked away, pretending to rummage for something in his backpack. Dustin continued. 

“It’s because you’re a genuinely nice person, and you cared about her in a way that no one in the lab ever had. That’s why she liked you, and it’s one of the reasons we’re friends with you. Right Will?” Dustin looked at Will, noticing his silence. Normally Will would have immediately agreed, as everything Dustin said was true. However, Will was still thinking about what Mike had said. He looked at Mike. Mike, and his thick Raven colored hair that curled cutely at the nape of his neck. Mike, and his beautiful dark eyes that Will could stare into for hours. Mike, who had come up to him on the first day of kindergarten, wanting to be his friend when no one else did. Mike who relentlessly worked to save him from the Upside Down, and kept working to save and protect him even after he came back. You would have to be crazy to not like Mike Wheeler, and Will knew. No one knew more about liking Mike Wheeler than Will. Dustin cleared his throat, and gently nudged Will’s arm. “Right Will?” Will blushed. 

“Oh, uh, yeah. That’s why we’re friends with you.” Mike’s mouth upturned into a slight smile, and he wiped the tears from his eyes. 

“Thanks guys,” he said softly. Suddenly, he looked at Will, his expression shifting into one of concern. “Are you okay Will?” Mike said, his brow furrowed. Will’s heart began pounding rapidly, as if someone was playing the drums in his chest. He gulped. 

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be okay?” Mike made eye contact with him. 

“I don’t know,” he said. “You’ve been acting a bit strange though.” Lucas nodded in agreement. 

“Yeah,” he responded. “Will’s been looking nervous ever since we started talking about Mike’s love life.” The tension in the room grew, as all eyes turned on Will. Will held up his hands. 

“I’m fine guys, really! It just reminded me of something.” Mike’s face turned from puzzled to intrigued, and Will knew instantly that what he just said was the wrong thing to say. 

“What was it Will?” Dustin smirked, and gave Lucas a knowing glance. 

“Was it about your love life?” Will’s face turned scarlet. 

“N, no that wasn’t it!” Lucas’s face lit up. 

“So that was it!” He glanced over at Will, grinning. “Is there a girl you like?” No. This wasn’t how this night was supposed to go. This was supposed to be just them, it was supposed to be a night free from girls! Dustin looked over at him. 

“Is it Stacey? You were talking to her in the hallway the other day!” Will looked at Mike with a pleading expression, but Mike didn’t seem to notice. Dustin continued to prod. “Who is she?” Will glanced at his friends, and then glanced at the floor. How was he supposed to answer that question? It would be hard enough under normal circumstances to tell your friends about the girl you liked, but these circumstances were anything but normal. What were you supposed to do when the girl you liked wasn’t a girl at all? When that person is your best friend, who is very much a boy, and very much straight? Nothing could have prepared him for this moment. Will awkwardly stood up. 

“Um, I need some fresh air.” Ignoring his friend's confused expressions, he rapidly walked up the stairs, through the living room, and out the door, onto the Wheeler’s front porch. The cold night air felt good on his flushed face. He sank onto the steps, and tried to calm his frantic breathing. In, out. In, out. In----- 

“Will?” His head whipped around. Mike had opened the door and was looking down at him. Will looked up at him, unsure of what to say. Mike walked out the door, and sat next to Will. “What’s wrong?” Will looked down at his feet. 

“I can’t tell you,” he said quietly. 

“Why not?” 

Will put his head between his knees. “You’d hate me,” he said, barely a whisper. Mike scooted closer to Will, until their shoulders were touching. 

“I could never hate you Will.” He put his hand on Will’s shoulder. It was an incredibly gentle touch; Will could barely feel it. He looked up at Mike, tears forming around the corners of his eyes. Mike looked at him intently, he wasn’t going to let this go. 

“Um, the thing is, um...” Will faltered. If he was ever going to say something, he’d have to do it now, or else he’d lack the courage. “Uh, … I like you!” he blurted. Will immediately looked away, not wanting to see Mike’s face. His heart was beating so rapidly, the energy coming from it could probably power the whole town. Mike was silent for a bit, and then after what felt like ten years, he spoke. 

“That’s, …. not what I was expecting.” Will looked at him, tears streaming down his face. 

“Do you hate me?” he said, his voice breaking. Mike shook his head. 

“No! I just didn’t realize...” 

“That the rumors are true? That I am a freak?” Mike looked him. 

“You’re not a freak,” he said. “You’re just you, and that’s fine.” Will took a shuddering breath, and Mike put an arm around him. “I don’t feel the same,” he said. “However, I want you to know that I care about you, and you’ll be my friend no matter what.” They sat like that for a few minutes, until Will finally spoke. 

“Thanks Mike.” Mike stood up and reached out his hand to Will. 

“Wanna go back inside? Dustin and Lucas are probably wondering where we went.” Will wiped his eyes, and took Mike’s hand. 

“Yeah,” he said, smiling. Mike pulled him up, and they walked back inside.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you like this! This is my first ever fan fic, so sorry if this is a bit OOC


End file.
